The Path Unending (A Cultivation Quest)

A/N: A big thanks to the 35 people who have pledged to me on Patreon! If you'd like to join them, you can do so here. Or, if you'd like to support me without the monthly commitment, you can buy me a cup of Ko-Fi here.
-----------------------------------
It does not take long to tell Daiyu and Zhuan Kun about what is going on.

It does, however, take substantially longer for them to take me seriously.

"I do not mean to doubt you, Kong Zhi," Zhuan Kun states, arms crossed as he studies me as one would study a bird that has just flown into a wall. "You have more than proven yourself, and I have nothing but the highest praise for your abilities. But…"

He trails off and Daiyu takes over, eyes worried. "...but it is one thing to find a dealer in death. At the end of it all, no matter their abilities and skills, they were but a man. But a phenomena like you're describing? It… is another thing entirely."

I'm barely able to bite back a frustrated groan. "It may be hard to believe," I answer, voice even. "But time is repeating on itself. This is my third time through this day! At least, I think it is; who knows how many times I don't remember?! You need to believe me-"

"We do!" Daiyu interrupts, voice high with nerves. She pauses, taking a long breath before continuing in a more measured tone. "Or at least, I- we- believe that you think that is the case. But… Zhi, is there no chance there is another cause? We've recently suffered at the hands of an illusionist; could another not be targeting us now? Or…"

She trails off as she fights for another reason. Zhuan Kun takes over when she fails. "We could have stumbled into a Hidden Realm. The rules of such domains are arcane and obscure; causing the world to reset around us is not beyond their capabilities."

The noble flicks his wrist and summons his satchel, scooping a scroll from its confines. "Or it could also be some sort of parasite," he continues as it unfurls, pausing to peruse its contents. "Sun Yijun once told me the story of how he was infested by a Corner-Dwelling Serpent which lived in the edges of his consciousness until he slew it. Yi Tai has cataloged a number of similar threats. It is within the realm of possibility that you have fallen afoul of such a beast."

Knowledge (Cultivation) Check: 8d10s7(1.2). Dice Rolled: 9, 8, 7, 5, 5, 2, 2, 2. 3.5, rounded up to 4 Successes!

I close my eyes and let out a low breath. Snippets of scrolls and passing comments from Kumi during our lessons ring in my ears, and I shake my head. "No," I answer, fighting to keep from raising my voice. "Between the Twilight Horizon and the Garden, I would know if I was infested, in a Hidden Realm, or under some manner of illusion. On top of which, any parasite strong enough to cause a hallucination of this detail and magnitude would be easily detectable by all of our Sixth Senses- as would an illusionist. We all felt the last one's anam, after all. We simply did not know what it was doing until after it was too late. A Hidden Realm…"

After a moment, I shake my head once more. "..that is not impossible," I allow. "But it would have other signs. You would be suffering these same effects, or the horses would be panicking, or…" I trail off, trying to think of other possible signs before shrugging. "...there would be some other tell. It wasn't until I looked to the Horizon that I even knew what was going… on."

My words grind to a halt and slowly, I turn to Daiyu. "It occurs to me that there is a simple way to check. Look to the Twilight Horizon; you know as well as I do that starlight cannot be fooled. If it brings you the same clarity it has brought me, then this matter can be settled."

My friends trade a long look before Daiyu nods. "Your words are wise," Daiyu admits. "The Twilight Horizon brings clarity of purpose and etches whatever it beholds in our memories evermore. There can be no harm in trying."

Daiyu's breathing evens out and her eyes fall closed as she pulls anam from her core. When they open once more, they are as dark as the night's sky and shining with amethyst starlight. "Give me a moment," she breathes out as she glances around. "I've not had time to truly push the Horizon's boundaries. It may take time to-"

As her eyes turn to the heavens, Daiyu's voice abruptly cuts off. Her star-filled gaze widens as she beholds the sky above. She stares into the heavens for a long moment, mouth slowly falling open as she takes in the truth of the stars. It isn't until I nudge her arm that she even blinks.

The stars fade from Daiyu's eyes as she turns her face from the heavens. She swallows thickly and lets out a long, ragged gasp. "...Zhi may be onto something," she murmurs.

A thrill of visceral satisfaction shoots through me. I stomp it down viciously; this is no time to enjoy being right! As I do, Zhuan Kun takes a step closer to Daiyu. "What did you see?" he asks, voice low.

"It was…" Daiyu's eyes clench shut as she struggles to find the right words. "...it is hard to describe. It was a mess of images and feelings all muddled together into something almost incomprehensible. I saw the village, and…"

Her words grind to a halt and she shakes her head. "...I cannot say for certain that Zhi is right," she admits. "I can barely make sense of anything written in the stars. But something is very wrong in that village."
***
There is no chance for Daiyu to fully digest what she saw before Clerk Ni gets fed up with our lack of progress. He chides us for dragging our feet and hurries us back to the road, leading the way towards the village. Between guiding our mounts and maintaining our vigil over the bureaucrat, there's little chance for a full, in depth recounting of the past days.

Still, I manage to describe a few things to my companions as we keep a loose perimeter around Clerk Ni. I try to give Daiyu context for the fractured images the Horizon gave her as best I can. From what she describes, her own visions are far less coherent and comprehensive than mine. There are fewer of them as well; she seems to have retained bare memories of only a single day to my two.

With no memories of his own to recount, Zhuan Kun focuses on his own specialties- namely, the game of the Garden that played out between me and the figure wearing his face. I recount each move and each action as thoroughly as I can as he listens contemplatively. With each new action, his frown deepens, until he finally shakes his head.

But not for any reason I expected. "Were you truly unaware that Natural Wonders have their own abilities?" he asks, a look of disappointment clear on his face.

I stare at him blankly. "Is… is that truly relevant?" I ask. When his expression doesn't change, I sigh and nod. "No. No, I did not know that."

Zhuan Kun glances towards the horizon and back again, shoulders sagging a bare fraction. "I was certain I taught you about them after you first acquired your Sect," he says. "It is not a pivotal feature in most matchups, but the use of an obscure feature can be the difference between victory and defeat. If I failed to mention them before, I have failed as a teacher."

He looks so genuinely distraught that it takes a physical effort not to pat him on the shoulder. "Perhaps you did?" I half answer, half ask. "You were… quite comprehensive in your instruction. There is a small chance that I did not retain every detail."

The noble's expression turns from sadness to shock and I have to hurry my words before he can confront me for my failure to internalize every single rule of a millenia-old game. "Aside from that, is there anything you notice?" I ask. "Is there a Natural Wonder you don't recognize or a particular tactic that stands out- like that of Elder Lim back at the Twelve Winds?"

Zhuan Kun's brow furrows as he thinks deeply. "The tactics seem standard, if rudimentary," he finally answers. "None of the moves you describe are the openings for any of the Proven Strategies, nor do they seem to lend themselves towards the Unorthodox Manual. There was certainly nothing as advanced as the Pig Farmer's Gambit… in truth, even a simple Encroaching Swallow would be a more well-planned strategy."

…I have so many more questions than I did moments ago, but since they are all about the Garden, I let them go. Instead, I sit and listen as Zhuan Kun ruminates on the possible permutations and interpretations of each move. "The units are all accurate," he eventually states. "Their capabilities seem in line with the Foemasters' decrees, and the Natural Wonders are all standardized. Nothing seems out of the ordinary in your game."

The noble pauses for a moment before adding, "Do not misunderstand me. You've described several cunning strategies; the tact with the Sunvenom Tribe was of particular note. It is simply that there was little overarching vision. There was no cohesion in the game, no grand design in the movements save a nominal attempt at victory through pacification."

Finally, Zhuan Kun has used a term I recall from when he attempted to funnel the entirety of the Garden's rules into my head. Pacification is one of the victory conditions one can attain in a game, one earned through the complete destruction of your opponent's sect before the game can be scored. Back at the Ivory Candle, the noble had not seemed to favor the tactic, and the frown on his face does nothing to change that impression.

"I have not sought victory through pacification since I was first beginning with the game," Zhuan Kun states. "At first, it seemed the most logical way to win, but experience has taught me that it is a costly and ineffective way to play. If there is one unit remaining on your opponent's side of the board, you cannot grasp victory, and they are free to strive for their own winning conditions."

"That is what your game reminds me of," the noble finally states, decisively nodding as if everything is resolved. "It is the game of one untested by true foes, a novice who has only ever found a single way to win. They pursue their victory condition to the exclusion of all others without truly realizing there are other, better ways to claim it."

Zhuan Kun trails off, falling silent as he contemplates the game even further. I have Quishu keep pace with his mare for a time, just in case any further interpretations occur to him. When none come, I let the loamwalker fall back and leave Zhuan Kun to his thoughts.

The silence gives me free reign to turn my own focus inwards, and I wrack my brain for anything I may have missed. Memories of Shoubiao's Wake play out before me again and again and I pour over them all, searching for anything I have missed.

As I think and as I ride, my thumb absently strokes the cool metal of the hammer hanging from my belt sash. Normally, such a gesture would unleash a storm of noise in the back of my mind as Chui Dao basked in the attention or shared its thoughts on my petting technique. But only silence answers my touch.

This is the longest Chui Dao has remained quiet since the day he pulled himself from his sapphire home. There are certainly times where he has stilled or fallen into the Kukuni equivalent of slumber, but for the most part, my thoughts are full of its nearly nonsensical cries. It still resides within the hammer- something tells me that if he were removed, I would know in no uncertain terms- but its cry is absent and its attention elsewhere.

When I try and focus on that quiet place in the back of my mind where Chui Dao resides, I find only a silence so complete that it nearly brings the rest of my thoughts grinding to a halt. Not a single noise or thought answers my attention. There is only a cloying silence that gets deeper the longer I focus on it.

I believe that Chui Dao is alive. I think that Chui Dao is unharmed. But all I know for certain is that Chui Dao is still- and that is worrying.

There is no time to consider Chui Dao any further. I'm drawn from my contemplations by the happy sounds of a child at play splitting the air. It is followed moments later by Clerk Ni's victorious crowing as the village comes into view around the bend. The bureaucrat immediately turns to gloat in Zhuan Kun's face, relishing his victory in their debate and ignoring that the noble seems far less interested in their squabble than he was hours ago.

Instead, Zhuan Kun stares at the village in contemplation. Daiyu's eyes narrow as she absently chews on her lip. For my part, I breathe deeply, taking in the scent of the encroaching storm on the breeze, and nudge Quishu forward.

There is nothing I can do besides move forward.

We ride into the village amidst the familiar chorus of clucking chickens, snapping winds, and gossiping villagers. Our mounts take us down the central path between the huts and towards the village square. Around us, half a dozen villagers loiter, each going merrily about their day. Washerwomen bicker with their neighbors, children play their Artist games, and elders enjoy their time in the sun before the storm breaks.

…but there is one less of the latter than I expected.

A simple, nondescript stool sits at the end of one of the paths. It is empty, with a simple wooden frame leaning against it. Loose threads dangle from the frame, tangling with the grass and blowing in the breeze.

Of the Weaver to whom it belongs, there is no sign.

I lock eyes with Daiyu and jerk my head back, drawing Sunswift beside Quishu. At the same time I reach out and clasp Zhuan Kun's shoulder, pulling him back from the smug bureaucrat so that the three of us are riding together. "Do not speak with the villagers," I murmur without preamble, voice urgent. "Not unless they speak with you first. No matter what they are doing, what antics they engage in, do not interrupt them."

Zhuan Kun glances at me from the corner of his eye. "Are these precautions truly necessary?" he asks, skepticism clear in his tone. "They seem-"

My grip tightens on his shoulder and the noble's words cut off, eyes widening as he turns to look at me. Whatever expression is on my face must be a striking one for he does not try to finish his thought. "Leave them be at all costs," I continue, steel in my words. "Do not interrupt them. Do not disturb them in any way- for our sake, and their own."

A nod from Daiyu and a more hesitant one from Zhuan Kun are my answers and I let the noble go. Our huddle splits and we fall in around Clerk Ni once again. I'm gratified to see that both of my comrades seem to be taking me seriously. The noble's grip is tight on his mount's reins while my partner's fingers beat a quick tempo on New Moon, and neither of them attempts to address one of the villagers.

Now that my friends are handled, I turn my attention to Clerk Ni. The Clerk will have to be handled with care, perhaps more care than I am capable of mustering. Between his spat with the Zhuan and the poor turnout from Jingyi's Summit, he is eager beyond reason to meet his quota. He will not turn from the village willingly, and will certainly not agree not to speak with the villagers. How could he test them if he does not speak with them, after all.

Still, an attempt must be made. I nudge Quishu forward as we enter the village square. "Clerk Ni," I murmur, voice soft. "We must act with care-"

"You the examiner?"

My gaze snaps from the clerk to the speaker. The voice is familiar, but the words are most assuredly not. Despite the change, the speaker is the same headman who greets us every time we come into this square. The last two times we encountered him, he asked for a courier. But now, he asked…

"Excuse me?" I cannot help but answer before Clerk Ni has a chance to answer. "Could you please repeat that?"

Sense Motive Check: 5d10s7(1.2). Dice Rolled: 8, 7, 7, 4, 1. 2.4, rounded down to 2 Successes!

The headman pauses for a long moment as he turns to look at me. His eyes widen a bare fraction as he takes me in, as if surprised I sit before him, and it takes a moment before he answers my request. "Are you the examiner?" he asks again, his tone bored. "For the… His Grand Examination?"

It is so slight that I nearly miss it, but there is a slight pause that accompanies each of his words. It is a pause that I am familiar with- one I made myself during the production of The Village of One. It is the pause of a player not fully prepared for the show, one who is just learning his lines for the very first time.

Clerk Ni either doesn't notice the headman's hesitation or doesn't care. He certainly doesn't care to hear me out; he pushes past me and rides to the headman. "Indeed I am," he greets the man. "This one is Clerk Ni Weiyan of His Imperial Glory's Beauracracy, here to administer the Grand Examination to this village- though I will need to update His records for the testing. There has been a shameful lapse, and your village does not appear on any local maps."

The last is said with a venomous look towards Zhuan Kun who ignores it entirely, instead watching me- for cues, I am gratified to realize after a moment. When his barb receives no response, Clerk Ni turns back to the headman and continues. "Could we have the name of this village so that the bureaucracy may update it?"

The elder mulls over his words before shrugging. "Last clerk who came through called it Shoubiao's Wake," he sighs. "That's good enough, I suppose. No real need for names around these parts."

Clerk Ni's response is lost to me as I stare wide-eyed at the scene playing out before me. Sunswift moves next to me and Daiyu leans in, her voice soft in my ear. "What is amiss, Zhi?"

I can only watch mutely for a long moment before finally finding the words. "This is new," I breathe out. "Before, he asked if we were couriers. I… why would it change? It makes no sense!"

Zhuan Kun glances over at us at my answer, a touch of doubt flickering across his face. I shake my head at him, forcing my shock from my expression. "This changes nothing. We must watch and observe."

Clerk Ni exchanges pleasantries with the headman for another moment before nudging his pony towards the center of the village square. "People of Shoubiao's Wake!" he proclaims, voice high and joyful in a way it hasn't been since our trip through the Forest of Pearls. "I greet you in the name of Emperor Liu Jian the First, Sage and Patriarch of the Liu, Protector of the South, Light of the North, the Emperor-In-Steel! Know that I carry his words and enact his will so that all here may share in the light that he brings!"

My finger clench around Quishu's reins as some of the villagers actually stop their pantomime and turn their attention to the bureaucrat. Not everyone ceases their perfect day; some only go about their labors with renewed intensity. But more than a few take in Clerk Ni's speech with polite interest painted on their face as he continues his speech.

"Your labors allow His Imperial Glory to rest easily, knowing that such virtuous citizens prosper beneath his rule," he continues. "As reward for your virtuous service, His Imperial Glory has decreed that Shoubiao's Wake shall be among those put to the test! I have been bid to guide you through the Awakening Rite. Those who pass will be guided east, to the grand tunnels of the Delving Heart! They, like those who ride with me, will be given an opportunity to walk the Path Unending!"

His proclamation brings about a few half-hearted cheers. Clerk Ni does not seem put out by the village's lack of rapture. Instead, he smiles broadly, joyously, as if the world around him is finally making sense once more.

As per usual when conducting the examination in a village so small it lacks an inn or a common house, Clerk Ni commandeers the headman's house. He vanishes inside to prepare for his labors, leaving the rest of us to divy up our duties. After a brief discussion, we fall into our normal patterns as well. Daiyu vanishes into the headman's house to serve as guard and usher, Zhuan Kun goes to patrol the outskirts for any shirkers, and I take up a position outside the hut with a ledger in my hand to keep the examination's records.

Part of me expects nothing to happen, for the examination to go completely unattended as the village's youth continue with their games and never-ending merriment. But no, much like the headman, the children's behavior has changed to go along with Clerk Ni's requests. Zhuan Kun leads a small line of appropriately aged villagers to the hut and leaves them with me.

I stare blankly at them all for a long time. Each of their faces are clear in my memory. But as I force myself to act as if everything is normal and begin registering them for the test, I am finally able to put names to faces, faces that seem more alert and engaged than I've seen in the past.

Huan is the young man who I've seen sitting at the edge of the village's pasture working diligently at his art. He is brought before me by an elder sister and is the first to see Clerk Ni. He walks into the headman's hut and leaves quickly. I mark him as lacking the spark.

Tuo is the hunter haggling with the village butcher over the price of his latest catch. That same butcher walks with him now, patting him on the shoulder companionably as he goes before the treasure. His examination takes a long time, but Daiyu shakes her head when he emerges. I mark him as lacking the spark.

Ai is one of the young girls I've seen playing Tides and Torrents. She is the most hesitant to go into the headman's house, but she is reassured by her grandmother. When she comes back out of the examination, tears have gathered in the corners of her eyes. I mark her as lacking the spark.

Rong is the oldest person to join the line. He looks awkward as he stands and waits, casting the occasional glance at his usual spot with the rest of the fishermen. More than once he tries to leave the line only to be chided back into place by the calls of his fellows. He is hurried when he goes to see Clerk Ni and nearly sprints from the hut upon his failure. I mark him as lacking the spark.

Lao is another of the playing children. He stands out more in my memory, as he was the 'Young Master' when the game was Dusk and Dawn. He glances at me more than once as he is ushered along by a wizened grandmother, but doesn't say a word. He is silent when he walks into the hut and just as silent when he leaves. I mark him as lacking the spark.

Liyu is a very young girl I know quite well. She was the ringleader of the game and it was at her urging that the children fled from me on my first trip through Shoubiao's Wake. Her gaze is impassive except for a brief moment when she first joins the line. Her eyes widen when she spots me, much as the headman's did, before she schools her face to an impassive expression once more. She steadfastly refuses to look at me during her wait, instead simply trudging forward with arms wrapped around herself as if fighting to stay warm. She stares blankly ahead as she makes her way into the hut, and-

-a heavy hand falls on my shoulder. I snap to attention, pulling myself from the near stupor I'd fallen into while taking my most recent turn resting near the fire. I glance up to see Zhuan Kun standing above me, eyes scanning the tall grasses as they're slowly illuminated by the rising dawn. "Do you see something?" I murmur softly as I tap Chui Dao's head against my palm.

The noble shakes his head. "The Clerk is rising," he answers, voice low, eyes still fixed on the perimeter. "Ready yourself. Mei Daiyu is giving the perimeter a final check, and then we will be leaving."

I nod once and stand, stretching out the small kinks that've formed during my pseudo-meditation- and stars flash before my eyes.

Days of memories play within my mind's eye. I sway in place, and it takes everything I have to remain standing as I look into the Horizon.

When my eyes clear of stars, I let out a long, low breath- and bellow an uncouth oath loud enough to bring Clerk Ni tumbling from his tent.

Kong Zhi has recovered his memories of the recurring days! How does he change his approach?
[] [APPROACH] Something that is more clear than ever is that there is something very wrong with the villagers in Shoubiao's Wake. Kong Zhi will try and gain answers from one whether they like it or not.
-[] (Write-In which villager)
[] [APPROACH] There is no longer any question about it; this village is dangerous. Kong Zhi will approach Clerk Ni and ask him to wait outside of the village while he enters to investigate in a more subtle way.
[] [APPROACH] In the past, Kong Zhi wandered freely through the village. Perhaps that was a mistake. We will continue the examination as normal, only Zhi will take a different role.
-[] (Write-In which role)
[] [APPROACH] Shoubiao's Wake is dangerous, and the wise thing to do would be to retreat. Zhi will attempt to redirect the examination towards Twelve Fields, where a more learned expert may be contacted.
[] [APPROACH] (Write-In)

Are there any small (and let me stress small) things Zhi would like to do regardless of the path he takes?
[] [SMALL] (Write-In, please append the [SMALL] prefix to any votes for this addition. Anything with over half the vote will be added if possible. Use this to add details you would like to be certain are covered. Daiyu and Zhuan Kun will be read in on the situation once again automatically, and function normally.)